Mary Yeager

Mary Gene Yeager was born Mary Gene Thompson on Dec. 24th, 1928 in Lubbock County, Texas and passed away on January 19, 2010 in Conroe, Texas. Her parents were Ed and Susie Thompson.

After living in Johnson County for a while, the family moved to Terry County where Gene attended school at Harmony School, Gomez and then Brownfield High School, where she graduated. Gene was very well liked and very outgoing, being involved in the debate team, choir and various other activities.

While growing up, the family lived on a farm near Brownfield, Texas. In those days, rural farms in Texas had no electricity: meals were cooked on a wood burning stove and the nights were illuminated by kerosene lanterns. Some of her chores as a young girl included hoeing cotton, gathering corn and maize, feeding the chickens and running the go devil and plows, pulled by the horses Roosevelt and Wilkie.

Gene married James C. Yeager in August of 1951 and was his life-long partner, living with him in such different locations as Tatum NM, Fort Worth TX, Los Angeles CA, Houston TX, Calgary Canada, New Canaan CT, Denver and Lake City CO and finally, Montgomery TX.

Gene was baptized with her family at St. Andrew's Lutheran church in Houston in the 1960's. Years later, after relocating in Montgomery, she and James joined St. Mark Lutheran Church in Conroe, Texas.

Gene was a homemaker, once an avid Tennis player and always an accomplished seamstress who loved Texas intensely and was equally passionate about her dislike of ice and snow.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Ed and Susie Thompson; sister, Alice (Billie) Earnest; and brother, Philip Thompson. She is survived by her husband James; brother, Jack Thompson of Brownfield; brother-in-law and sister, Billy and Madelyn Kline of Ballinger, brother-in-law and sister, Earle and Shelby Davis of Lubbock; three children and their spouses, Tracee and David Lambert of Katy TX, Robert and Caroline Yeager of Carlsbad NM, and Eric and Susan Yeager of Montgomery TX. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, five great grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews all of whom love her very much. She always ended her phone conversations with her family with "I love you so much" and she meant it.

Mary Gene lived her life to the fullest, never being judgmental of anyone, always expressing her opinion when asked for it and never backing down from her core beliefs. Not long ago she told her siblings that she was so grateful for the "raisin" she received from their parents. She was always a devout Christian and a strong believer in prayer.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, January 22, 2010 at 11 a.m. at St. Mark Lutheran Church with Pastors David Quail and George Borghardt III officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Lung Association, Houston and Southeast Region, 2030 North Loop West, Suite 250, Houston, TX 77018.